


little mistakes

by anthropologicalhands



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, F/M, Post-Chapter 699 (Naruto)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-16
Updated: 2015-04-16
Packaged: 2019-05-17 02:19:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14823360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anthropologicalhands/pseuds/anthropologicalhands
Summary: post-699. a mistake can be dangerous without being damaging.





	little mistakes

He burns Sakura the first time he tries to teach her the Katon.

He underestimated the ferocity of the fire he conjured and she was too close. She stumbles back, away from him, cursing and cradling her arm. The skin is red and shining across the length of her right arm, up to her shoulder, when the stray tongues of flame reached out to taste her.

It is nothing that Sakura cannot fix easily. And she does. Apart from the spasm of pain that crossed her face when he burned her, her calm demeanor returns as she heals herself, going through familiar motions.

Sasuke watches from a distance.

“Are you all right?” he asks, even though the moment has passed.

Because he needs to. 

Because he is still trembling, realizing he miscalculated.

Intellectually, Sasuke knows that teaching the Katon is no different than any other jutsu. Accidents happen; one as minor as this is hardly worth further thought.

But it is still his family’s technique. The fire every Uchiha must master in order to wear the name with pride. The first step he has taken to bring Sakura into their clan, small and fledgling though it would be.

And he  _hurt_  her. He was only demonstrating and  _he still_   _hurt her_. 

Can he not share even the simplest of his family’s secrets without harming her? It makes him wonder, for a horrible moment, if such an accident might be considered an omen. That being a part of this clan will do more harm than good for her. 

She is saying something. He looks up from his hands. She is approaching him, drawing his errant focus back to where it belongs.

He looks at her, because she wants him to look. She’s holding out her arm.

“It barely touched me.”

He sees the pink of new healing, a shade more delicate than even her hair. Before the hour is out it will be be as if she never was burned. 

“See?” she asks.

He takes her hand in both of his; turns it over, trails his fingers over where she burned. She lets him, her gaze unwavering.

He brings her hand to his lips; presses a dry kiss to her palm.

“I’m sorry,” he says. “I was not careful.”

She shrugs, a rueful little smile on her lips. “Neither was I. It happens to the best of us. Shall we try again?”

Her eyes glint in the sunlight; there is no hesitation there. Only anticipation, sweetened by the warmth that is always there when she looks at him. No lingering pain or anger.

His mind clears.

“Yes,” he agrees. “Again. I’ll be more careful.”

“So will I,” she says, and turns her palm to meet his and they move back to try again.


End file.
